ICA International

ICAI Board Report:

At the ICAI Board's April meeting the focus was on detailed planning and assignments for implementation of the 2014 Business Plan finalised in March and circulated then. The Board offered it's support to the regional Vice Presidents as they work to facilitate networking aiming at members within their regions over the coming months.  Krishna is liaising with members in Asia Pacific to convene a regional working group to facilitate peer-to-peer support and collaboration in that region, Isabel is working with members in the Americas to organise online facilitation training in Spanish and Gerald is connecting with African ICAs by phone and Skype. Martin is also working with ICA Spain to confirm the dates and location for this year's face-to-face ICA European Interchange, to be held late October or early November in Andalucia.  We agreed that ICAI would make a token contribution toward the rent of the new ICA offices in Toronto, from where our Canadian colleagues continue to maintain ICAI's legal status and financial accounts, and we have renewed ICAI's membership of the World Alliance for Citizen Participation CIVICUS.

Building on conversations with members at last year's online regional gatherings, Martin has now drafted criteria for non-voting Associate membership of ICAI and for ICAI financial support of member's peer-to-peer initiatives.  These will be reviewed by the Board in May before being circulated to the membership for further feedback and revisions, in order that they may be voted on at the online General Assembly in June.  Also building on last year's regional gatherings in preparation for the June GA, Staci is drafting an online survey by which to consult members on possible approaches to convening a face-to-face ICAI global conference in 2016.  The annual accounts are ready for Board approval in May, and we continue to monitor progress on ICAI's 'Continuance' as a non-profit in Canada and on release of the legacy that has been left to ICAI.  Invoices have been circulated and members are renewing their dues for 2014.

The ICAI global working group on ToP policy has had several online meetings involving a dozen or more colleagues from many ICAs in all continents, and is considering what it will circulate more widely for consultation in advance of the global online gatherings and GA in June.   The Winds and Waves team published another fantastic issue of ICAI's flagship magazine, and are about to meet to make advance plans for the next issue.

Martin Gilbraith           president@ica-international.org

BANGLADESH:

ICA Bangladesh had its 1st (2014) Board meeting on April 18th with several very important and critical agenda items including Budget, Auditor appointment, NGO Registration Renewal, AGM and Action Plan 2014. All 7 board members were present at the meeting, and Aziz's physical presence made all feel we would be able to make ICAB a sustainable organization.

Another new intern, Rashed, joined us on the 17th April. Some of our friends joined the Facebook group. Jahangir and Rashed are supporting local fundraising initiatives. Two proposals: Access to legal aid and justice for the poor and marginalized people, and Planed Intervention School evaluation, were submitted.

Aziz, Shah Alam and Manik, met several times in Chandpur and visited the Ghormara School and Village Project to work with the community so that they can plan together and address their problems jointly.

Two faculty members, Aziz and Fuad, joined the CTF mentee program initiated by Larry. Fuad was able to attend the 1st meeting. Aziz is seriously motivating members and staff for ToP faculty development.

Staff          admin@ica-bangladesh.org

JAPAN:

Three Year Proposal with JICA for Multi-Crop Greenhouses
Friday, May 2, we reviewed a proposal to provide Multi-Function Green Houses to villages.  This was written by a team of four people in just 2 months; the team was lead by Shizuyo, two people were from NEC Mr. Murakami and Mr. Hirano, and one was a professional ICA full time volunteer, Shinji Uyama.  Community development, agricultural, and marketing training will enhance the village life. 

In addition we are providing space behind the EEC to continue research assistance with GRA, who plans to provide greenhouse technology to hundreds of villages once the model is sustainable.  This is ideal for villages to have flexible employment inside of the villages, bringing income to both women and men.

Focus on Training and Agriculture Development in Myanmar
Research has been finished for Myanmar and a proposal to upgrade a training center for weaving and other much needed training is being written to take place in Karen state. Later we will provide advanced agriculture training to another state of Myanmar.

Tekos Learning Center to be Visited mid June 2014
Research makes it possible for the Tekos School to train their students in half the number of years as a normal school, and will be a major event for one of our staff in June. Building on Anastasia’s wisdom, this center will likely become our attraction of the future. Why don’t you join us near the Black sea for the experience of a lifetime?  Email Wayne for details. wayne@icajapan.org
 
Cote d’Ivoire Proposal and Business Investment Trip Comes Alive
May is the right timing for advancing the proposal with MOFA Japan.  After their initial review, we must collect many attachments and submit the proposal for approval.  Cote d’Ivoire is gaining much attention for development and international investment.  With our proposal, we aim to keep the gap between the rich and poor from increasing.

In July, we will lead a Japanese investment team of CEO’s to Cote d’Ivoire to talk with officials, to meet the Cote d’Ivoire team, and research investment potential.

The Kenya Booklets Inspire Us to write a new Agriculture Booklet for Bihar India
Mr. Daito is preparing an agriculture booklet to visually supplement his training while spending ten months in India.  It will be translated into Hindi for villagers use, and will be translated to other languages as well. He goes to Bihar at the end of May.  We are grateful for the booklets written by a housewife from Japan more than 20 years ago!

Other Proposals in the Pipeline
More than five other proposals are being considered, now that we have doubled our human resources.  The BOP concept has brought many partnership resources to assist with project development and funding.  Yet we are seeking sources of funding to fill the startup gaps.  You are encouraged to provide $10 to $50 a month as huge leverage assistance!  Just go to our website (http://www.icajapan.org/home-english/donation) and enroll in this great endeavor!

ICA Japan Staff           wayne@icajapan.org

NEPAL:

ICA Nepal is currently supporting physically challenged people in collaboration with the BB Trust. In April, ICA Nepal team visited various sites and shelters managed by BB Trust where physically challenged people like blind, deaf, handicapped, dwarf, reside and work. ICA Nepal is helping the BB Trust in fund raising and developing leadership and capacity building projects for empowerment of these differently able people.

ICA Nepal continued to support research students by conducting regular training courses. In May, Janet Sanders and Kris Harington are to visit Nepal. ICA Nepal has completed all the preparation for the upcoming series of Social Artistry programs being held in May.

Ishu Subba        ishu@ica-nepal.org

TAIWAN:

April events
Leadership program in Shanghai
Program with pharmaceutical company
Several mentoring sessions
Planning with becoming NGO
Virtual forum with dialogue group from OQ
Truth about life on Authentic community
Dreamwork and Open Space Learning Exchange

Peer to peer
Working with the Global ToP policy Team
Mentoring with ICA Ukraine (resonating changes there with conversations in Taiwan see below)
Setting up global mentoring program for other ICA's
Winds and waves article the ICA Taiwan survey reflection

What matters to people where we are?
This has certainly been around the occupying of the Legislative Yuan by graduate students and the thousands of citizens in general that supported from the outside for 3 weeks; then the demonstrations for justice, labor rights, land ownership, nuclear power, death penalty, hunger strike of Lin, etc that is still going on. We are really experiencing the transparentizing of the democratic system.